A maritime law expert says a review of the water sports industry could be on the cards, now that the owner of a kayaking company has been charged over the deaths of two students at Lake Tekapo.
20-year-old James Murphy and 21-year-old Daniel Hollnsteiner died in September last year when they went out kayaking on the lake in rough weather conditions.
Aquanorts provided them with the kayaks, and as a result the owner of the company has been charged with four charges under the Maritime Transport Act, and three under the Health and Safety Act.
Peter Dawson, from Dawson & Associates said New Zealand's international reputation is at stake, and that's why incidents of this kind need to be thoroughly dealt to.
"A few years back, a company was charged in Queenstown for a death arising out of a wakeboarding or riverboarding accident which prompted an intensive review of the adventure sport industry.
"It's important for New Zealand's international reputation to be seen to have a safe water sports adventure sector," he said.
"Generally you'll find that if there is a fatality, charges will follow."
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